Sealife Tracker

researching marine invasive species in the UK

The Sealife Tracker project aims to collect much needed data on both invasive and climate change indicator marine species around the UK coastline. Due to the scale of the coastline and the difficulties involved with observing algae and animals below the surface we have very little data on many species that are of interest to scientists, either because they pose a threat to biodiversity and/or the economy or because they are indicators of temperature changes in our coastal waters.

But even if you don’t own a boat, dive or go snorkelling you can still help – a handful of the key species are either often found washed up on beaches or visible from the shoreline.

What’s featured in the app?

The app features 25 species, 14 of which are climate change indicators and 11 that are invasive, non-native species. It also contains ID guides for all of the species including photo galleries and helpful text descriptions including where and when you are most likely to see them.

Keeping up-to-date

In addition to checking on results and seeing what’s been seen and where the website also offers people without a smartphone the chance to record what they have seen.